Page 81 of Body Shot

“Only in your dirty mind.”

“You’re getting to know me so well.”

I grin and push my sunglasses higher on my nose. Yes, I’m getting to know him better, but even so I have a sense that there’s much about himself he’s holding back. But then, I’m trying to keep my emotions safe behind walls, too. “I guess I could come try more tequila. Maybe you’ll have something special to show me in the back again.”

“Oh, baby. I’ve definitely got something special to show you.”

Amusement bubbles inside me and I feel amazingly carefree and light. It’s a gorgeous day and I’m with a gorgeous man in a gorgeous car, and I feel pretty damn good about that. Even though we’re behind on our research into messenger RNA therapeutics for treating cardiovascular disease, and I’ve been working late every day on my presentation for next week’s health-care conference.

It only takes about fifteen minutes to get from my place to the cave on Coast Boulevard. We enter a small, brown-shingled storefront.

“It’s so cute.” I look around as Beck pays for us. There’s a little gift shop I want to check out after. We head down some wooden steps. I eye a hand-printed sign. “When something says enter at your own risk, that makes me nervous.”

“I got you, baby, don’t worry.” He follows me down the stairs, close enough that we’re touching, and enter cool, damp darkness lit by lamps at intervals along the way. Another sign warns us of the low ceiling, and Beck, being tall, is careful to duck. I shiver.

Beck reaches for my hand. “Nervous?”

“Um, no. Okay a little. It’s safe, right? It won’t collapse on us?”

“Totally safe. Well, barring an earthquake, of course.”

“Beck!”

He grins. “Are you claustrophobic?”

“No. This doesn’t bother me.”

We emerge into the cave from the tunnel, and I gaze around in awe as we walk along the wooden deck toward the bright opening of the cave onto the ocean.

“The best way to see it is by kayak,” Beck says. “We’ll do that next time. Have you ever kayaked?”

“No. Though I’ve always been a little curious about it.”

“Then we’ll definitely do that. And we can see some of the other caves.”

“Kayaking seems tame for you.”

His smile is warm and white in the dim cave. “I don’t have to seek out thrills every minute of every day.”

“No?”

He tugs me closer and his hands slide over my hips to cup my ass and bring me up against him. “I kinda get a thrill just from being with you.”

“Oh, you sweet-talker you.”

He bends and brushes his mouth over mine. “Yep.”

I get a thrill just from being with him, no doubt about that.

“How about snorkeling? We can rent snorkel equipment and go in the water, too.”

“I’ve snorkeled,” I say. “But it was a long time ago, when Mom and Dad took me to Thailand. And in Mexico.”

“Hey.” He studies my face. “You’ve traveled a lot. Thailand? That’s pretty cool.”

“It really was. But I was fifteen years old, so it was a while ago. And after Dad got sick, we didn’t have any more adventures.”

“Ah.” He kisses me again, his lips warm and firm on mine. Something flutters deep in my belly. “Well, then. Here you go.”

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